Archives – November, 2007
Thank you all so much for the congratulations and love! I've had such fun checking in with all the welcome to world comments. We gave him his official name a few hours before being released from the hospital. Yeesh. We had two names and we just couldn't decide which one was best -although the moment we saw him we both thought he really looked like a Milo. Milo it is.
He's cute. The hospital stay was rough for us all and we are so happy to be home now. The big sister is quite smitten with our little babe. She's been singing songs to him, petting him and helping us out. She is doing really well. We are so proud of her.
Home is good.
Thank you again everyone. I'll write more when there's time- like the whole birth story (maybe or is that T.M.I?), about how I thought Keely would stay with us through labor and delivery (ha ha ha) or how I didn't sleep for 43 hours over the course of the birth. We'll see. But now, I must get back to holding baby Milo.
November 29, 2007
Good morning everyone.
Ryan (Angela's husband) here with an update on the situation regarding Angela's (overlong) pregnancy. You all have been a really great support for her through this entire pregnancy and beyond. We knew you would want to know what was going on ASAP. So here's the skinny…
Angela's water broke yesterday at about 4AM. We stalled for half an hour, then called the DR and went to the hospital (Angela tests strepB positive, so she has to go in as soon as her water breaks in order to get the antibiotic). Fortunately for us, she went into labor shortly thereafter. The Boy (still unnamed, but we're working on it) was born at 11:03 AM yesterday. He was 20 inches long and almost 8.5 pounds! When the time came, my girl pushed him out in the span of three contractions! THREE! Remind me never to cross that chick: she's one remarkably tough lady. She did great. So, so, so, so great.
Anyway. The Boy is beautiful. Amazing. Incredible. He's got the roundest little face and absolutely no chin. He is currently breast-feeding strongly, crying like a maniac, and doing all those little-things that make grown people fall so madly in love with babies.
We should be back home from the hospital sometime early tomorrow morning (the StrepB thing keeps the baby, and therefor us, at the hospital for 48 hours minimum). I can't guarantee that Angela will be up to blogging tomorrow, but I'm sure you'll hear from her soon.
Have a fantastic day, and thanks again for all of your good vibes!
Best,
Ryan
November 27, 2007
Still here. I like my babies well done. We went in for a non-stress test, check-up, and to measure amniotic fluid yesterday. What fun. Ryan thankfully got to get off work to come along because we were there for hours and I was strapped in a chair with the monitors on for way too long- unable to move. Actually the only way I move when laying down is like a turtle on its back…limbs flailing about in the air trying to get some motion going. Keely has been coming with me to all my appointments and she does very well. Everyone at the office knows and likes her, but this particular trip was too long and stressful. The baby's heart monitor was not picking up any good responses-possibly meaning he was not handling life in there well. People started to get worried. Other people came in trying to make something happen. His heart rate was too flat and not as reactive as it should've been. Then, the med. folks congregated in the hallway and whispered. Panic set-in. My head went floaty and that heavy helpless feeling took over. I have forced myself not to worry about the health of this baby for months to save my sanity. I have been trusting, believing that he is just fine. The stress of this broke me down though. Just the thought that anything could be wrong with my baby is just too much for my tired head. The tears started flowing. Keely got worried. She quickly got her paper and wrote, "ITS OK" on it and held it up in front of her nervous smile. My sweet girl. They made me eat and drink. A very nice midwife came to my side, changed my position, moved the monitor, chased the wiggly baby across my expansive belly, and held it on the baby until we got some decent readings. Verdict is that he seems to be fine. Perhaps he had just been sleeping during the test. If he is not born by next Monday they say I should/will? be induced. fun. In the meantime, I get to go back for two more of these trips. I guess I'll sign off from here until I have something to share…like a plan of birth or maybe even say…a baby! Hope your Turkey Day is good.
Last belly shot-
November 20, 2007
I've had bags of clothespin peg forms forever and a couple of weeks ago, desperate for something to entertain Keely, I got them out. I gave her some Sharpies and we decorated them. She loved it. Then we had to make little sleep sacks for them too. I added individual pockets to them the other day at her request…like a crayon/pencil roll. It worked great and she has been happily playing with them since.
I also made her a scarf. I've been meaning to make one since last winter. She liked it at first, but now wants different colors. oy. It was a fun, fast project and I hope to make two mature-ish ones for Ryan and I at some point. That's it for crafting from me for awhile I think. hmmm.
November 20, 2007
Sooooooo…no baby yet. We are overdue and just sort of waiting, nervously. Next week I have to start getting monitored and stress tests and all that other jazz. Oh and Thanksgiving is coming. If nameless babe chooses to hold off until turkey day his name may just be Pilgrim. Whattaya think?
Keely and I went to admire the changing leaves. They are so beautiful right now. The lady who owns the best Maple tree saw me taking photos and invited us into her backyard to see the prettiness.
Keely had fun jumping in the piles. Good stuff. I was not jumping although I did want to. I'm having trouble just walking these days. I'm waddling. Quack. Quack.
Oh get this. My gal came up with this song titled, "When Your Soda is Like the Sunshine." We were sitting outside together and she starting singing this made up song and it was really good and the title kills me. She really loves soda and her mean parents only let her have a tiny bit on occasion. Anyway, daddy came home and she told him the title of her latest song and then ran to the piano to compose the piece. She then asked for some accompaniment on the high notes. Things got a little crazy. In-utero baby went bonkers at all their racket.
A nutty and anxious bunch over here.
November 16, 2007
~checking in on our favorite Maple today~
stripy tights required
November 12, 2007
This is Keely's car riding get-up. She must wear the headband to keep her hair from blowing in her face and the giant dress-up sunglasses because it's always too sunny (even at night). She makes me smile every time I look back at her. Such a big personality in her little body.
November 8, 2007
Fall is here. It's chilly and the leaves are finally changing. Keely and I took a nice walk together. She was calling our day walks "nature walks" because she gathered things. Now it is a fairy house collecting nature walk. She found lots of goods for their home. Each day she adds a little something to their house and a few times they've left her things in return. She gets so excited by it.
I finally found old wood school chairs for our dining room! Actually, my mom spotted them at a store she goes to. I've been looking for about a year. There are 4 of them and I like 'em and they were cheap. But now…well, now our table needs to be painted white to complete the look I was going for. Heh. This thing I have is a sickness. I don't deny it- chairs, changing our abode, painting.
I really do need to add a "chair" category to the side bar though.
November 6, 2007
Three cigarette themed tales and an unrelated photo.
So my father is the only person Keely knows that smokes. He usually smokes outside when Keely is around, so we've really never talked about cigarettes or smoking. One day, many months ago (I've been meaning to write this down somewhere since then) Keely and I were walking- talking about seagulls and out of nowhere she says, "Mommy, why does Grampa put a candle in his mouth?" HA! Boy was trying to explain smoking to this girl not easy. "…but what are they for?" "…but why do people want to do that?" There are no good answers here kiddo.
I made up a couple of new mixed cds for the car. They are quite mixed-pop, moldy-oldies, electronic, kiddie, etc. One of the oldies is "King of the Road". I thought she'd like the catchy tune. I did not think about the lyrics too much until we were in the car. Ryan and I were singing loudly. Keely was bobbing her head in the backseat. Her lips were moving. She was working on learning the words. Later, we are home and she starts singing, "…King of the Road…mumble, mumble, I ain't got no cigarettes!!!" It's her favorite line. Great. Must do better at music censoring.
Lastly, I've been looking for some sort of low table for Keely's room so she could set up her current play interest and leave it out (and not in the middle of our floor)-dollhouse stuff, playmobil, blocks whatever. I was thinking of a train table, but they are either ugly or too expensive. I finally found a really nice one at a thrift store. It looked like the Pottery Barn one-two big roll out drawers underneath. Its price was way more than I would normally consider spending at a thrift store, but I liked it. Ryan decided we'd get it. We did. We put it in her room. The next day the smell of cigarette smoke was overwhelming. Her room reeked. It was so strong and bad. I've bought a ton of things at thrift stores and this has never happened. I guess it was just time. It made me ill and mad. I cleaned it in every way possible and it still smelled awful. It looked fine. It actually looked brand new. Not a dent or scratch. No sign of nicotine. We moved it outside and cursed it. Ryan then decided to prime it and paint it and we then had to leave it outside (the fumes!) and the temperature dropped overnight and the paint job got all mucky, sticky, and bubbled. Talk about buyer's remorse. I was walking around kicking myself. Anyway, now (many days and trips to Lowe's later) it looks not quite as nice as it did, but it doesn't stink and it has worked out beautifully in her room. The end.
November 5, 2007
Halloween was nice. This is the first year Keely's wanted to go trick-or-treating. I made the ghost costume. She then decided she would be a witch. Then she told my mom on the phone while sobbing that I wouldn't LET her be a ghost!?!? So not true. Then evening came and she got dressed as a witch-in all black. A few minutes later she was in her room taking off her costume and rummaging around. I let her be. I expected nothing less. She never wears anything you think she'll wear. She comes to me a few minutes later with a lidded box. She opens it and presents it to me. It is filled with pink things from her dress-up box. Store bought randomness. "I'm going to be Glinda…the good witch…because I don't want to be scary tonight." Sooooo we get her all pinked out-including plastic heeled shoes. We try to convince her to not wear those. Fruitless efforts. She goes out on the sidewalk, holding each of our hands for balance. Clip. Clop. Clip. Clop. all through the streets. Everyone smiles and laughs at her shoes. They call her a princess, so she changes her name to "Princess Glinda". She loved trick-or-treating. She made it about 2 1/2 blocks in her shoes and then asked to go home. We passed out candy for the rest of the evening. She bounced and bobbed with joy as she sat on the floor and sorted through the massive amounts of candy. We told her she could have 2 pieces a day. Tootsie-roll lollipops have been her choices so far. Eating it all could take months. What to do? I wish I could sneak some (most) of the candy out of her bucket without her knowing and pitch it (eat it myself)…but she would so know if I remove a single piece. Is there anyway that she'll forget about all that junk calling her name? Doubtful. I didn't take photos because it was so dark and we had costume changes to deal with. No photos for Halloween. That is a first. I'm trying not to beat myself up about it, but I feel a bit bad. How 'bout compensating with candy photos?
I had my OB appointment yesterday. Everything is good and ready to go. They said, "We can talk about inducing next week if you'd like." I would not like. Keely was born late so maybe this babe will end up being late too. My contractions have slowed down this week, so who knows. I am tired. Big sigh.
Yesterday, Keely and I took her nature tray and decided to build a little woodland house/fairy house. She insisted that someone we could see had to live there, so we had to quickly (talk about impatient!) make some clothespin dolls. As we were building, ladybugs kept coming to the house. She was so delighted. It might end up being a ladybug house instead.
November 2, 2007
